Spring Break is Not Always a Parents Break

For many parents, "that" time of year can strike dread in your
heart months in advance or have you looking forward to spending quality
time with your children. "That time of year" is Spring Break.
While I always loved having Spring Break for more kid time I would often
forget that even one week without school would play havoc with my children's
schedules. And for those working full-time Spring Break can be a logistical
daycare nightmare!

Planning ahead always helped. Did you know that many school districts and
community centers offer spring break programs that run school hours and
offer a variety of kid-friendly topics? There is everything from crafts
for the little ones, to cooking and guitar lessons for teenagers.

You can also check out your local leisure center, YMCA, or library for
drop in swimming, skating, yoga classes, special reading groups and more.
That week is an excellent time to sign your kids up for horseback riding
lessons, or enroll them in sailing instruction. For older kids you can
create a camp of your own by equip your home with a good mix of board
games, movies, craft supplies and ingredients to have children help create
their own meals.

Could this be a good time to send the kids to visit the out of town grandparents
for a fun-filled week? Grandparent time is so important. They make history
real and have so much wisdom to share with the world.

If you are a stay at home mom, you may want to consider sharing the planning
and chauffeuring with other parents. Each person can plan a day of activities
and the driving, leaving you with a free day to maintain your routine.

Regardless of how you pull off Spring Break, remember that is a week for
recharging for your children and possibly for you as well. I hope you
can take a moment for that.